Nicolas Winding Refn
Drive

"With a script like this, any other director would have produced a mediocre and flashy film. Refn, however, was able to create a little masterpiece destined to become a cult classic of modern cinema."

The review could end right here, with this sentence. But it would be disrespectful to the entire work if I stopped here... it would be disrespectful to one of the most talented directors of the moment, to a truly respectable cast, to a soundtrack that borders on perfection, and to a work that deserves to be seen by every cinema lover worthy of the name.

The protagonist is a part-time mechanic and stuntman by day, but at night he drives for criminals who are not very keen on finding themselves with a pair of handcuffs on their wrists. One day, by chance, he meets a girl with a child and a husband in prison, and a sort of love story will develop between them. But when her husband gets out of prison, things undergo a drastic change... Essentially, this is the plot of Drive... certainly not very original, and the screenplay is not exactly the strong point of this film. So what makes this film the "masterpiece" mentioned earlier? Let's go in order.

Ryan Gosling. Often accused of being inexpressive... in this film, his lack of expression (although he actually manages to communicate a lot even with a simple blink) makes him perfect for the role. We are faced with a character who has nothing to lose, confident and extremely silent... but he is a good person, a true guardian angel that any of us would like to have by our side. The "love" relationship (the quotation marks are not there by accident) that develops with the girl played by a stunning and talented Carey Mulligan is extraordinary. Few dialogues between the two and many silent looks worth more than a thousand words, more than a thousand gestures. An honorable mention goes to Gosling, who manages to make a character that might be less realistic than it seems come across as realistic and believable. These two splendid actors are supported by a "secondary" (but not in skill) cast of great respect. We find an excellent Bryan Cranston playing a character very different from what he became famous for, and he does it excellently, confirming himself as an actor with great versatility. An honorable mention for Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman (Clay from Sons of Anarchy, to be clear), who, although given little screen time, manage to create great empathy (especially Brooks) with the viewer.

Visually, what is the film like? Perfect, simply perfect.

Direction and cinematography are truly at the highest levels with truly majestic sequences and shots (the very first scene of the film in the car is a manual of cinema) and the play of light makes the viewer's eyes widen, who witnesses a true spectacle (Elevator scene). Refn confirms himself as one of the most talented and competent directors on the current cinematic scene. And the soundtrack supports everything adequately, further elevating an already visually enormous film.

Just over 90 minutes of your time to see this gem... it will be worth it. It is not a normal "car" movie, it is not the usual Hollywood excess, none of that.

It is a film by Nicolas Winding Refn.